Microencapsulation: Extrusion

Microencapsulation technology is the entrapment of bioactive compounds in protective semipermeable hydrogel to produce microcapsules in the range of micrometer to millimeter size distribution. Microencapsulation of biocompounds through extrusion techniques is one of the most important methods of maintaining the structure and properties of labial bioingredients, including stem cells. Extrusion technology has attracted much attention for the production of bioartificial cells in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. Immunoisolation of cells using extruding methods has proven to be effective for the maintenance of cell survival and viability. Therefore, extrusion-based microencapsulation is one of the most common encapsulation mechanisms used to produce immunoisolated cells in tissue engineering. Extrusion technologies discussed in present chapter are simple dripping, flow focusing, and jet break up techniques including electrostatic extrusion, vibratory process, and jet cutting.